AP(Eye) on the Hill is our biweekly highlight of significant federal updates, particularly those that affect AAPI communities regarding reproductive health and rights, immigrant rights, and economic justice. Learn about NAPAWF's federal policy work while you're out on the ground!

Policy Recap

Trump administration finalizes Title X "domestic gag" rule

Senate fails to pass anti-science abortion bill

Kentucky House of Representatives passes abortion ban that harms our community

Trump administration finalizes Title X "domestic gag" rule

Image source: Physicians for Reproductive Health

Last week, the Trump administration released a draft of a final "domestic gag rule" that would drastically undermine the nation's federal family planning program for low-income people. The rule states that recipients of Title X funds can neither perform abortion nor refer patients to abortion services. In addition, the rule changes the definition of "low-income," changing the eligibility of those who would be served under the program. Over half of patients served by Title X are women of color, and 13% are Limited English Proficient.

Read more about the history of the domestic gag rule, its details, and the effect it would have across the country

Learn more about other attempts by the Trump administration to undermine the Title X program

Senate fails to pass anti-science abortion bill

Image Source: Colorlines

Earlier this week, Senators voted on and failed to pass S. 311, a bill introduced by Ben Sasse (R-NE) that undermines providers' ability to do what's best for pregnant people. The bill would have put health care further out of reach for those seeking abortions later in pregnancy by threatening providers with criminalization. Furthermore, it ignores the many barriers that individuals face in seeking abortion care, such as cost, distance, and other restrictions that have been imposed on abortion access. While Republican arguments attempted to focus the discussion on babies and children, Democrats made clear that the bill was just another attempt at criminalizing abortion and putting health care further out of reach for pregnant people.

Kentucky House of Representatives passes abortion ban that harms our community

Image Source: Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky

This week, the Kentucky House of Representatives passedHB5, a bill that would prohibit abortions on the basis of "sex, race, color, national origin, or disability." NAPAWF testified in the committee hearing for the bill last week because sex-selective abortion bans are based on the false stereotype that Asian American women prefer male babies, and they open the door for doctors to racially profile Asian American women. HB5 will now move on to the Senate, where it will get a hearing next week.

Read an op-ed written by NAPAWF member Valerie Izumi on why these racist bans hurt Asian American women

On Wednesday, February 27, the NAPAWF Field Team hosted a National AAPI Women Call-in day to oppose Neomi Rao's confirmation to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. Thank you for making calls to your senators on our #StopRao Day of Action! NAPAWF chapters organized 10 states and counting to make calls. We sent a fierce message that Neomi Rao is an extremely harmful candidate to women, workers, communities of color, and LGBTQ people. On Thursday, February 28, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to move Rao's confirmation forward and the Senate as a whole will likely vote on whether to confirm her the week of March 4. See our fact sheet on what's at stake for AAPI women and girls if Neomi Rao is confirmed.

MAKE A CALL: Continue to call your senator at 202-224-3121 and tell them to vote "no" on D.C. Circuit nominee Neomi Rao. Tell them to stand up for the rights of Asian Americans, women, immigrants, people of color, workers, and LGBTQ people.